Spooky Trails in Gaines Township scares up donations for food bank

Laura Angus | Swartz Creek NewsMark Hering and Brian Carr of Spooky Trails presents a check for $1,000 to Food Bank of Eastern Michigan President Bill Kerr. They also collected almost 5,000 pounds of food from customers.

GAINES TOWNSHIP, Michigan — Spooky Trails did a lot more than entertain its visitors this Halloween season.

The haunted hay ride attraction at 8266 Baldwin Road also collected canned food for the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan while it was open during weekends in October.

The business donated 5,000 pounds of food and $1,000 to the food bank, said owner Mark Hering. Visitors were offered $1 off admission for donating two canned food items.

"We wanted to find a way to give lower prices to our customers through a promotion that benefited a cause," said Hering.

In past years, the business has donated money to the food bank, but "it really wasn't as much as we wanted to do for them," he said.

This promotion has benefited everyone this year, with customers getting a discount, food collected for the food bank and higher attendance rates this year, he said.

Director of Spooky Trails, Brian Carr, said he thought of the idea to have a canned food drive from other similar promotions.

"I've seen other canned food drives be successful," he said.

He thought since Spooky Trails is open each weekend in October even more food could be collected than at one-night events.

Hering also credited sponsors like VG's, Little Caesars, Speedway and Burger King for handing out coupons and getting the word out about the promotion. He said there were hundreds of independent businesses handing out coupons as well.

"If we wouldn't have had those sponsors, I'm sure our food drive would have brought in a lot less," Hering said.

Bill Kerr, president of the food bank, thanked Spooky Trails for the donation and accepted the check Wednesday.

"These folks just called and said they wanted to do something for the food bank," he said, applauding them for their efforts during an event wrapping up Hunger Action Month.